During summer 2024, Team Echinacea continued to collect data on local environmental conditions in order to understand which environmental factors are associated with good habitat for ground-nesting bees. These data complement emergence trapping for our ENRTF funded research on fire’s influence on ground nesting bees habitats. We sampled local environmental conditions near randomly placed “burn and bee points” (BBPTs) in prairie remnants and restorations.
Unlike the 2023 season, we did not collect data on light levels at BBPTs this year. Instead, we measured soil temperature just under the surface using a digital thermometer, along with soil compaction via a penetrometer and litter depth via a meter stick.
Team Echinacea conducted microhabitat assessments for remnant prairies at rotation 4 BBPTs. Over the summer, we took microhabitat assessment measurements at a total of 241 measurments.
- Start year: 2024
- Location: prairie remnants and restorations in Solem Township, MN
- Overlaps with: ground nesting bees
- Data collected: Surface soil temperature (°C), soil compaction (psi), and litter depth (cm)
- Samples or specimens collected: NA
- Products: Poster presented at Entomology 2024 in early November: link to post containing poster
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